HOT! DAMN HOT! And I understand it is (was) too in England. Unfortunately for us, while there is a great breeze early morning and late afternoon/evening to keep us cool(ish), in the middle of the day the thermal wind seems to just about cancel out the gradient wind and we have to resort to sitting in front of our new fans to keep us cool!

Sunday 11th July – World Cup Final day - we’re sitting in Ayamonte on the River Gaudiana, the border between Portugal and Spain. We’d hoped to be able to go up the river as the pilot book says “not to be missed” esp to see white storks, cattle egrets, black winged stilts, kingfishers, red-rumped swallows, hoopoes, golden orioles, bee eaters, and azure winged magpies! I’ve no idea what most of these are like (need to get an App for an iphone – also need to get an iphone!) but it sounds wonderful. However, the clearance under the bridge is only 20.5m – our mast is 20m! We’ll try and get a local ferry at least part of the way upriver tomorrow. But tonight we want to be in town to see the football (well at least I do and Helen wants to see the Tour this afternoon as we’ve not managed to see it much this year – although we did see Cavendish win stage 5 in a fantastic sprint finish) and if Spain win there will be a huge party here. Last night the celebrations in the town centre just for Spain BEING in the final went on to 4am!!

On our way along the coast from Lagos, we’ve visited Vilamoura (a very large modern marina/tourist resort – great marina but the resort is totally artificial – makes me think of the Truman show – and is slightly run down/tacky) and a river estuary between Faro and Olhao – great anchorage except it’s under the flight path for Faro airport! Lots of very long term cruisers there – some may not have moved for 10 years!

We’re discovering what a small world this is – as we sailed out of Lagos we spoke to another boat (“Pennypincher”) from Lymington and arranged to meet up in Vilamoura – discovered Alan and Penny knew Dave, one of the skippers we’d met on the Rally whose boat is “Jennard III”, whom we’d had dinner with on Monday and they’d had dinner with him on Tuesday! And as we sailed into Ayamonte we saw “Yarona”, a Hallberg Rassy 43, whose owners, Barry and Cath, we’d met skiing in Les Carroz! And even more extraordinary, it turned out that “Yarona” was previously “Jennard II”! Barry and Cath had bought her from Dave! Spookily small world.

We may make one or two further steps eastwards along this coast but then, sadly, we need to turn around and head back to Lagos where we’re leaving the boat for a few weeks (seems a good secure marina and we get a good discount as participants in Rally Portugal since the marina sponsors the Rally). Looking forward to our next trip when we plan to visit Jerez and Cadiz before going into the Med.

Hope all well for you.
Best wishes
Iain and Helen

PS Only now (13/7) posting this blog as we’ve got good wifi here – we’re now in Mazagon, as far east as we’ll come this trip, having a rest day. Tomorrow we’ll start our return along the coast westwards to Lagos. It’s been great being in Spain – a very happy place after the World Cup final!

PPS Sorry – didn’t manage to post until today 15/7!! Now back in Ayamonte (on Spanish/Portugal border) where we met up last night with another two boats from the Rally who are also cruising this coast – one before returning to UK and one who like us will head into the Med late August. Reunions always seem to mean a late night so now having a quiet domestic day recovering (and laundry, emails etc). Also treated ourselves today to an English newspaper as we’re having coffee in a great cafe here (excellent wifi, lovely coffee and “tosta” with tomato and olive oil which seems to be the standard breakfast – although as we’re Inglese they bring us butter and marmalade too!). Early start tomorrow to catch the tide as it is shallow at the entrance to the river – only 1m at low tide – we’ll need to get to the Med before we stop having to worry about the tides.

Love and best wishes
Helen and Iain